BBC Gardeners' World

Plant details

• Common Name: Leek
• Genus: Allium
• Species: porrum
• Cultivar: 'Musselburgh'
• Skill Level: experienced
• Exposure: full sun
• Soil type: boggy, well-drained/light
• Height: 0.6m
• Spread: 0.2m

This important winter vegetable is grown for its long, thick, white stems or 'shanks'. Early varieties mature from August to early winter, when the hardier dark-leafed maincrops take over until April or May. Plants may be sown direct and thinned, but most gardeners prefer to raise seedlings under glass or in a nursery bed, and then transplant them by dropping each one in a 10cm to 15cm (4in to 6in) deep dibber hole to increase the length of blanch. Mini-leeks are popular, sown direct and thinned to 2.5cm (1in) apart for use when the size of spring onions.